Ventilated wall construction for roll-former machines and the like



c. F. ENGEL 3,102,574

CONSTRUCTION FOR ROLL-FORMER Sept. 3, 1963 VENTILATED WALL MACHINES ANDTHE LIKE Flled OCT, 26, 1960 INVENTOR.

CHARLES F. E GEL HIS ATTORNEY.

w a K. 2747/1 I, w-

a&wvv vvi s w i 2 3 3 9 5 63 2 3 u 6 5 H I a United States Patent Thepresent invention relates to the construction of machines having wallssupporting a plurality of trans verse rotating shafts, and it hasparticular application to the construction of machines having asuccession of rolls in aligned upper and lower machine elements, for theprogressive forming of sheet metal strips.

The purposes of the present invention include the following: toconstruct the walls of such machines from metal plates thin enough forpunching and piercing operations, rather than the conventional cuttingand boring operations; to cool and ventilate bushings for bearingssupported by the walls and to provide better lubrication tosuchbearings; and to provide simple, reliable alignment and tensioning meansbetween the walls of the upper and lower elements of such machines.Other purposes will be apparent from the remainder of thisspecification.

Such purposes are accomplished in the present invention, in general, byusing walls each consisting of a pair. of parallel, openly spacedplates, formed by punching a nd piercing, whose pierced bores support.the ends of spacer members such as bushings whose midportions arediametrically enlarged to establish the spacing between said side walls,thus providing for the flow of ventilating air between the plates and.the use of lubrication fittings at the midportions of the bushings. Thespaces between the plates are also utilized to accommodate the align-,

installation to secure the punched, pierced plates in fiat parallelalignment. i A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown inthe accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective viewof the construction which is the subjectof the present invention, as applied to one end of a progressiveroll-former machine of the type having a series of pairs of matingrollers extending over a substantial length. Because of the generalsimilarity of such progressive rolls in series, only the right end ofthe machine is illustrated. I

:FIGURE 2 is a View, partly in section, taken along line 2--2 of FIGURE1, immediately beneath the outer side wall plates.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line |l-4 ofFIGURE 1. I p FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along theleft end of line 55 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawing by the detail part numbers, I provide a worktable surface 10, shown fragmentarily chine.

in FIGURE 1, having a rectangular cut-out 111. Screws 12 whose heads areflush with the table surface 10, engage threaded support blocks 13 setinto and between outer and inner lower wall plates 14, 15 respectivelyof a lower machinery element generally designated a. The plate upperedges 16 project into the rectangular cut-out 11 and extend to thework'table surface 10. d

The wall plates 14, 15 are formed of rigid steel plate material thinenough to be blanked on a fairly highcapacity punch press or similarmachine tool. These plates have a number of circular bores aligned witheach other, preferably formed by a mere piercing operation (neverthelessreferred to as bores). The circular holes so pierced lie in twohorizontal lines. In the upper lineare the bushing bores 17, as shown inFIGURES 1 and 5; whereas the lower line consists of the smaller clampingbores 18, as shown in FIGURES 2and 3. The bores 17 and 18 in the outerand inner plates 14, 1 5, are concentric with each other and, dependingon the details of construction employed, may be of the same diameter orof different diameters.

. The space between the outer and inner lower wall plates forcing ahardened ball, whose diameter is slightly larger than that of thebushings 21 as supplied, through the center of the bushings 21 andthusexpanding them to fit tightly Within the bushing bores 17. The outerwall of each of the bushings 21 has end portions 22 which terminateinwardly in 90 shoulders 23. Between the shoulders 23 is a diametricallyenlarged midportion 24 whose length equals the spacing to be establishedbetween the outer and'inner wall plates 114, 15.

InFIGURE 5, the enlarged bushing midportion 24 is shown equipped with aradially drilled lubricating passage 25, at the outlet of which is alubricating fitting 26, secured to a tube 27 for supplying lubricantunder 1 pressure, from a source not shown; While each of the bushings 21maybe so equipped for lubrication, if

desired, in most installations such lubrication will be i Spacing of thewall plates 14, 15 is also accomplished by spacing washers 30 such asshown in FIGURE '4, mounted on shoulder bolts 31'whose shank portions 32fill the clamping bores 18. i The shoulder bolts 31 engage tapped holesin the ends of rigid spacer rods 33 which extend transversely across themachine: and establish the spacing of the inner wall plates 15from eachother. Conveniently, the spacer rods 33, with their attaching shoulderbolts 31 and spacing washers 3%], are' used in parallel horizontal rows,as shown in FIGURE 1; spaced between the successive forming rollshereinafter described but vertically removed farther from the level atwhich the sheet metal to be. formed will pass through the ma- While thedescription so far has been directed specifically to the roll-carryingframe which forms part of the lower machinery element a, it applies aswell to the upper machinery element, generally designated b, save in therespects hereinafter noted and which will be obvious from the drawings.Specifically, the upper machinery element 17 includes similarlyspaced-apart outer upper wall plates 14' and inner upper wall plates 15'whose lower edges 36 are spaced a fraction of an inch above the level ofthe table surface '10. This spacing establishes a gap 37 at the rightside of the machine through which a metal sheet, passed along the worktable surface 10 generally outward of the right outer upperthereadjacent. To permit such fianging action,-the right U-bolt 40 shownin FIGURES l and 4, is spaced well inwardly of the forming roll portionsadjacent to the inner wall plates 15, 15 at the right side of themachine. At the left side of the machine, the gap which would otherwiseexist is blocked by the left U-bolt 41 and the alignment gibs 58], 59hereafter described.

With respect to bushing bores 17, clamping bores 18 and bushings 21, aswell as the general arrangement of forming rolls, gears and othermachinery elements hereafter 3 to be described, the upper machineryelement b is generally similar to the lower machinery element a andsubstantially symmetrical thereto about a horizontal plane taken throughthe middle of the gap =37.

Supported in the bushings 21 and extending on horizonal axestransversely across the lower machinery element a andthe upper machineryelement bare a succession of lower and upper progressive forming rollsgenerally designated 42, 42', 43, 43', 44, 44', etc., commencing at theright end of the machine as shown in FIGURE 1. The left end'of the roll43 is shown in FIGURE and is typical. Beginning at its left end, it hasa shaft end 45 formed with an outer cylindrical bearing surface 46 whichis supported in a needle bearing 47 such as is featured in each of thebushings 2i1. Inwardly of the shaft end 45 is an integral gear '48, andto the right thereof is cut the lower roll profiles 49.- It will be seenthat the upper gears 43' and upper rol-l profiles 49 will mate with thecorresponding power gears and roll profiles at each stage, from right toleft. The rollprofiles 49, 49' vary from right to left progressively toeffect progressive forming of metal which is passed therethrough. Idlergears 50 and their eral patterns, the first of which provides forforming to the left side of the right U-bolt 40, and the other whichprovides foriforming at the right side of the right U-bolt 40, in whichcase the metal to be formed may pass through the gap 37. The rightU-abolt 40 in the position shown in FIGURE 1 has its counterpart in asecond similar right U-bolt similarly mounted near the left endof themachine. Referring to FIGURE 4, the right U-bolt 40 has its lower bend51 seated in a groove 52 in the lower spacer rod 36; and acorrespondingly located but broader groove 53 in the spacer rod 33directly above it serves as a seat for the lower semi-circular cut-out55 of an inverted U-shaped 64-, the tang 63" extending below the upperedge 16 of the lower wall plates 14, 15, into the space provided by thecut-out 64- in the lower gib 58; while the cut-out 64 similarly acceptsthe tang 6 3 of the lower gib 58. j

A second set of gibs is provided at some convenient point near the leftend of the machine, aligned symmetrically with the set here described.Reciprocal movement of the tangs 63 within the cut-outs 6'4 permitsvertical spacing of the upper machinery element b with respect to thelower machinery element a, for adjustment and resiliency of operation,but maintains fore and aft alignment; while the projection of the tangs'63 beyond the plate edges 16, 36 serves as a lateral aligning means.

Alignment is also preserved and adjustable tension ap pliedpby the leftU-bolt 41 whose U-shaped bend 6'5 fits around the rounded outer end 66of the lower gib 58. The U-bolt 41 has parallel stems 67 spaced to fitclosely about vertical side. edges of the gibs 58, 58. These stems 67are longer than those of the right 'U-bolt 40 and extend to and beyondthe outermost edges of the oppositema chinery element, that is, to andbeyond the upper edges of the upper inner and outer wall plates 14, 15,land the 1 diameter of the stems 67 substantially fills the space be--bracket is equipped with a resilient leather strip 56,

saddle bracket '54. The parallel stems of the right U- bolt =40 extendthrough bores in the center of the inverted U-shaped saddle bracket 54and through a somewhat re- I sil -lent leather strip 56, against whichadjusting nuts 57 'bear to bring about the desired tightness of theassembly.

At the left side of the machine illustrated, precise planar alignment ismaintained between the outer lower and upper wall plates 14, 1'4 andlikewise between the inner lower and upper plates 15, 15'; also,fore-and-aft in-plane alignment is maintained. The parts which servethese functions .will now be described.

On the shoulder bolts '31 which engage those spacer rods 33 onto whichthe left U-bolts 41 are to be mounted, lower and upper mating gibs 58,-58 serve 'as spacers between the inner and outer wall plates, 14, 14,15, 15', as shown in FIGURE 3. As shown, the gibs 58, 58' con sisteachoftWo identical stamped-out pieces whose coma shoulder bolt 31; and hasan inner bore 60 shown as being of somewhat larger diameter, whichreceives a heavy locating pin 61 extending through the correspondinglocating pin bores 62 in the outer and inner lower and upper wall plates7 1'4, 15, 14',- 15', as shown in FIGURE 3. Half of the upper edge ofthe lower gib 58 is a tang 63, extending upward above the lower edge 36of the upper wall plates 14, 15. The other half is a cut-out 64 whichextends downwardly below the upper edge 16 of the lower wall plates 14,15. As shown in FIGURE 2, the upper gib 58 :has in its lower edge asimilar tang 63' and cut-out similarly bored, and adjusting nuts 57bearthereagainst to achieve necessary tension in the U- bolt 41, yetproviding appropriate resiliency.

It will be seen that the open spacing of the vertical plates 14, 15, 14,.15, provides walls through which ventilating air will circulate ireely,cooling the bushings 21. The oil originally supplied in the needlebearings 47 will therefore last much longer than without suchventilation. Wherever supplemental lubrication is provided to fittings26 at midportions of the bushings 21, the wall plates between which thelubricant tubes 27 pass, protect them from inadvertent damage. Further,the simple alignment and tensioningconnector means consisting of the Ubolts 41 and gibs 58, 58', utilize their snug fit within the spacingbetween the walls for a simplicity of conterized in that the walls eachcomprise a pair of flat.

plates spaced from and parallel to each other and having aligned boreswithin which the bushings, are secured at their ends, and in that thebushings each have a diamet rically-enlarged mlidportion between itsends of such I width as to space the plates from each other, wherebyventilating air Lrnayflow between said plates and past said bushingmidportions. r 2. The construction defined in claim 1, together withlubrication means communicating between the spaced plates to the midportions of the bushings.

3. Roll-former machine construlction of the type comprising an upper.roll carrying element and a lower rollcarrying element, each including aplurality of transverse rotatable roller shafts, bushings supporting theshafts for rotation, and vertical side walls supporting and spacing thebushings, the side walls of at least one side of said elements being inplanar alignment with each other, characterined in that said side wallsso in alignment each comprise a pair of plates secured parallel to eachother in open-spaced relationship, and in that connecting and aligningmeans are provided in the spaces between the plates of said side wallsand extending from one element to the other.

4. Roll-former amalchine construction of the typecomprising anupperroll-carrying element and a lower rollcarrying element, each including aplurality of transverse rotatable roller shafts, bushings supporting theshafts for rotation and side walls supporting and spacing the bushings,the side walls at at least one side of said upper element and said lowerelement being aligned with each other, each of said side walls so inalignment comprising a pair of plates, means to clamp the plates of eachof said pairs parallel to each other in open-spaced relationship, andmeans located within the spaces between the said plates to maintain thesaid alignment.

5. Alignment and tensioning construction for machines of the type havingaligned upper and lower machinery elements, comprising vertical wallsfor such elements, each wall having a pair of vertical wall plates,means securing them together in open-spaced, parallel relationship, anupper gib mounted between the walls of the upper machinery element, saidgib having vertical side edges and having in its lower edge a tangportion extending downward below the upper edge of the wall plates ofthe lower machinery element and a cut-out extending upward above thelower edge of the plates of the upper machinery element, a lower gibmounted between the walls of the lower machinery element, said lower gibbeing of the same width as the upper gib and having vertical side edgesand having in its upper edge a tang portion extending upward above thelower edge of the wall plates of the upper machinery element andreceived within the cut-out of the upper gib, further having in itsupper edge a cut-out extending downward below the upper edge of theplates of the lower machinery element, within which cut-out the tangportion of the upper gib is received, further comprising a tensionconnector having a pair of parallel stems joined at one end and theremounted between one of said pairs of spaced wall plates, the stemsextending vertically therefrom to and between the other pair of spacedwall plates and to the outermost edges thereof and encompassing betweenthe stems the vertical side edges of the upper and lower gibs, togetherwith a bracket spanning and bearing against said outermost edges of saidother pair of spaced wall plates and means mounted upon said bracket toexert tension on the stems of said connector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,274,086 Buck Feb. 24, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,035,969 Germany Aug. 7,-8

5. ALIGNMENT AND TENSIONING CONSTRUCTION FOR MACHINES OF THE TYPE HAVINGALIGNED UPPER AND LOWER MACHINERY ELEMENTS, COMPRISING VERTICAL WALLSFOR SUCH ELEMENTS, EACH WALL HAVING A PAIR OF VERTICAL WALL PLATES,MEANS SECURING THEM TOGETHER IN OPEN-SPACED, PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP, ANUPPER GIB MOUNTED BETWEEN THE WALLS OF THE UPPER MACHINERY ELEMENT, SAIDGIB HAVING VERTICAL SIDE EDGES AND HAVING IN ITS LOWER EDGE A TANGPORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARD BELOW THE UPPER EDGE OF THE WALL PLATES OFTHE LOWER MACHINERY ELEMENT AND A CUT-OUT EXTENDING UPWARD ABOVE THELOWER EDGE OF THE PLATES OF THE UPPER MACHINERY ELEMENT, A LOWER GIBMOUNTED BETWEEN THE WALLS OF THE LOWER MACHINERY ELEMENT, SAID LOWER GIBBEING OF THE SAME WIDTH AS THE UPPER GIB AND HAVING VERTICAL SIDE EDGESAND HAVING IN ITS UPPER EDGE A TANG PORTION EXTENDING UPWARD ABOVE THELOWER EDGE OF THE WALL PLATES OF THE UPPER MACHINERY ELEMENT ANDRECEIVED WITHIN THE CUT-OUT OF THE UPPER GIB, FURTHER HAVING IN ITSUPPER EDGE A CUT-OUT EXTENDING DOWNWARD BELOW THE UPPER EDGE OF THEPLATES OF THE LOWER MACHINERY ELEMENT, WITHIN WHICH CUT-OUT THE TANGPORTION OF THE UPPER GIB IS RECEIVED, FURTHER COMPRISING A TENSIONCONNECTOR HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL STEMS JOINED AT ONE END AND THEREMOUNTED BETWEEN ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF SPACED WALL PLATES, THE STEMSEXTENDING VERTICALLY THEREFROM TO AND BETWEEN THE OTHER PAIR OF SPACEDWALL PLATES AND TO THE OUTERMOST EDGES THEREOF AND ENCOMPASSING BETWEENTHE STEMS THE VERTICAL SIDE EDGES OF THE UPPER AND LOWER GIBS, TOGETHERWITH A BRACKET SPANNING AND BEARING AGAINST SAID OUTERMOST EDGES OF SAIDOTHER PAIR OF SPACED WALL PLATES AND MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAID BRACKET TOEXERT TENSION ON THE STEMS OF SAID CONNECTOR.